The present invention relates to attachments for notebook binders, and more particularly, to attachments for supporting and holding articles such as calculators or other electronic devices, to-do lists and checklists, self-stick removable notes, and the like, that are used to supplement, or are used in conjunction with, information written on the pages of the binder.
For optimal convenience and accessibility, such attachments should be firmly and securely affixed to the binder in a manner that renders the article usable on either side of the binder center or alongside the binder. Generally, simple attachments now in use, such as plastic page markers, dividers or rulers can be placed where needed within a binder by opening the binder rings and passing the rings through corresponding holes near the edge of the attachment. However, if an article were to be supported by an appropriately sized but simple attachment similar to those currently available, such an attachment would hold it in only one position in which the holes for engaging the binder rings would always be on a predetermined side of the article. This arrangement would be satisfactory only if the written information being accessed were consistently found on one side of the rings.
In other words, if the information being accessed were found on the front of each page attached to the binder rings through holes at the left margin, the calculator or other article to be used in conjunction with this information should be located on the opposite panel, attached to the binder rings by holes or detents near its right edge. Conversely, if the information being accessed were found on a page attached to the rings by holes in its right margin, for accessibility and ease of use the article should be mounted on the opposite panel, attached to the binder rings by holes or detents near its left edge.
In most situations, however, written information is found on both sides of the binder rings. Thus, an attachment of the above-mentioned type is not conveniently usable with all of the information. This drawback limits severely the utility of most binder attachments currently available. Even if the article is to be accessed concurrently with information found on the opposite side of the rings, but spread over a number of different pages, the panel must be repeatedly dismounted and remounted on the rings of the binder if it is to be accessible concurrently with that information. This also is cumbersome and clearly undesirable. Moreover, on occasion it may be beneficial to use the article independently of information contained within the binder while the binder is closed, but without detaching it from the binder. This is clearly impossible when the article is secured to a panel mounted on the rings of the binder.
The above drawbacks limit the utility of most currently available devices for attaching articles such as electronic calculators, other electronic processors or other devices to ring binders. It should, therefore, be appreciated that there is a need for an improved binder attachment which would reliably secure such articles to a binder, be conveniently usable in conjunction with, as well as independently of, information contained within the binder, and be readily accessible inside, outside or alongside the binder. The present invention fulfills that need.